Latch for traveling bags



H.0OSKI. LATCH FOR TRAVELING BAGS. IAPPLIQATION FILED APR. Ill 1921Patentd Jan. 10,1922.

2 Shaw-shin 1.

H. COSKI.

LATCH .FOR TRAVELING BAGS;

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1 A053,014. Patented Jan. 10,1922;

tartar strict.

. HERMAN cosarr,v or CHECAGO, ILLINOIS.

' i LATCH FOR, rreavnrme BAGS.

llAltl fill ll.

'Application filed April 11, 1921. SeriaI'No. 460,384.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, HERMAN COSKI, a citizenof the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cool: andState of Illinois, have inventeda new and useful lmprovement in Latchesfor Traveling Bags, of which-the following is a specification.

My invention relates to traveling bags and cases, and more particularlyto means for securing or retaining the two sections or edges of theclosure in co-operative relation with each other so that accidentalunlatching of thesame is not liable to occur.

The present structure has been especially designed for use in connectionwith what are generally known as Gladstone bags, which consist of twocompartment members that are hinged together at their-lower edges andusuallydivided by a centrally disposed partition which permits theopenin of one compartment without disclosing the contents of the othercompartment. However, it will be understood that the structure hereindisclosed is well adapted for use'in connection with other types oftraveling bags, suit-cases, and similar impedimenta.

In the use of traveling-bags of the Gladstone type, the weight of thearticles packed or stored in the compartment to which the handle issecured, when carriedor suspended by the handle, will cause a slightbowing upwardly of the frame surrounding the open edge of thiscompartment, but the most serious objection inherent'in such bags isthat the weight of the articles in the opposite compartment invariablycauses a sagging of this compartment, due to the use of a doublepintlehinge for connectingthe compartments with the result that the edge ofsaid compartment will pull away from the op posite compartment edgewithwhich it is supposed to fit, and not infrequently" parts of the endlatches, and sometimes the lock itself, becomes disengaged so that thesaid compartments will disengage or be opened and spill the'articles.lViththe ordinary forms of latches, which are in general use,noprovision has been made, so far as I am aware, to prevent the releaseof the parts due to this sagging or pulling away of the compartmentunattached to the handle. It is, therefore, anobject of my invention toprovide a latch that will eifectively retain Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented an. 1.0, 1922.

and latch the meeting edges of the two compartments of a traveling bagso that the sec tion to which the handle is attached will support theother compartmentand prevent the sagging or pulling away of the latterfrom the former. Another latch that will not release the compartmentsexcepting when intentionally operated, and which is constructed so thatthe greater the pull made on the carrying compartment by the othercompartment the firmer the latch will hold and the less the liability ofthe parts to accidentally open or release. Also, I have provided a latchstructure that permits'the frame of the carrying compartment to supporttheadjacent frame of the other compartment. A still further object of myinvention is the provision ofmeans for facil-c itating and effectivelylatching the partition wall to one of the compartment frames whereby theliability of the same snapping loose is reduced to a ininimumf Stillfurther objects will be apparent to others after an understanding of myinvention is had, andl prefer to carry out my present improvements insubstantially the manner hereinafter fully described, and as moreparticularly pointed out in the claims. Reference will now be made totheaccompanying drawings that form a part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective of a traveling egg of the Gladstone typeshowing the application of my improvements thereto.

Figure 2 is a fragmental detail enlarged. showing the plate forreleasably securing the partition wall to the carrying frame of the bag.1 I F igure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3 3, Figure'2.

"Figure-sis a similar view taken on line 4.4;, Figure 2. i

igure 5'is a fragmental detailof a corner of the partition wall showingthe element that coacts with the structure, shown inFigure 2.1 i aFigure '6 is a transverse'sectional view taken on line: 6e6fFigure5. I

Figure 7'is a longitudinal side view of my improved latch element whichis secured to the carrying frame of the bag. V Figure 8 is a top plan ofthe structure shown in Figure 7, and

object is to provide a it will be seen the traveling its edges will lieFigure 9 is a similar View of the element secured to the other frame ofthe bag and in position to beiinserted into the latch.

Figure 10 is a vertical longitudinal section'taken on line 10-10, Figure8, and

Figure 11 is a transverse vertical section on line 11-11, Figures 8 and9, showing the two parts of the latch in assembly after the compartmentshave been brought together inclosed position.

In the accompanying drawings, I have employed the same referencecharacters to designate like parts throughout the several views, and byreference to Figure 1 thereof, bag to which I have applied myimprovement consists of two substantially similar compartments A and Bhinged along their lower edges so that the bag may be convenientlyopened in a flat manner to afford ready access to the interior thereof.The edge portions of these compartments which are adapted to be broughttogether when the bag is closed are each reinforced by a suitablecovered frame. The frame G for compartment A, being the supporting orcarrying frame, is ofL-shapeor angular cross-section and is,considerably heavier than the somewhat smaller and lighter frame 1)extending around the edge of compartment B; A carrier or handle E ismounted upon the frame ,Cv about midway the length of the portionthereof farthest from the hinge, and the casing of the usual lock Fis-also mounted upon frame C to act in conjunction with the usual loopsG that register therewith upon frame DQA partitioning or dividing wall His flexibly secured to the hinged portions of compartments A. and B andis'of such dimension that jecting flange of frame position and for thepurpose of securing this wall H in position, and ,to retain it againstthis fiange'of frame C, I have provided the structure, illustrated inFigures 2 to 6 of the drawings. 7

In these figures, it will be seen that I have provided partition H atits corner with one of the elements of a separable fastener, preferablythe socket member known glove fastener type. The coacting or stud member16 of-the fastener is secured to a lobe or projection 17 of a segmentalores.-

cent shaped plate 18 mounted on frame C in the corner of compartment A.There are two sets of fasteners and two plates 18 positioned as abovementioned, and I prefer to attach the plates by means of lateral tangsor spurs19. projecting from the edges of the blanks from which plates 18are formed and which are bent under the metal of frame C around theedges thereof to securely mount the plates in position; The curvature ofthe edgesof the plate substantially corresponds with the curvature 'ofthe inwardly proagainst the inwardly pro-' C when in closed 15 of thewell jecting flange of the frame, and when the partition wall H has beenattached thereto by fasteners 15- -16 the edge of the partition will liesnugly against the frame in a neat manner and in a snug fit.

Mounted upon the outside of frame C farthest from the hinge and adjacentthe corners are the two latching casings that coact with loops carriedby frame D, and as these structures are substantially duplicates, butone will be described. This latch structure comprises an elongated baseor body 20 that is reduced in height adjacent each end to provide ears21 through which rivets or other devices are passed to secure the bodyto frame G. 'A bar or arm 22 is pivotally mounted at one end by a pintle23 on i it may passor be projecte'dthrough a cira cular opening-in theadjacent upper portion of the body or base 20 to engage the coactingelement of the latch that is carried by the compartment member B of thebag. This element comprisesa plate 26 that projects laterally out fromthe edge of frame D of compartment B and is provided with a recess oraperture 27 in its outer portion into which latch bolt 25 enters toretain and support the compartment B. Plate 26 may be of substantiallyL-shape, as shown, the lateral arm 28 whereof passes through thematerial of the bag, as seen in Figure 11 of the drawings, and issecured tothe metal forming frame D by a rivet 29, or otherwise. In

order that plate 26 may enter the'body or base 20, I have provided thesideof the latter facing plate 26 with an elongated opening or slot 30,and for the purpose of protecting the material with which the bag iscovered from injury by plate 26 moving in and out of opening 30, I haveinterposed a relatively thin strip ofmetal 31 between the bottomof thebase or body 20 and the adjacent portion of the bag. 1 V

In operation, when the two compartments ofthe' bag have been broughttogether and closed plate 26, which is upon compartment B, willbedisposed above the frame of compartment A upon which handle E issecured,

and when the bag is lifted by the handle the compartment Bis-retainedin'close relation to frame C and is prevented from saggingor. dropping down because the plate will be resting upon. the same framethat supports compartment A. I prefer to make latch bolt 25 long enoughto enter an aperture 32 in plate 31, and frame after passing throughplate 26 so that these parts will assist the bolt in retaining plate 26in From the foregoing, it will be seen I have provided an effectivemeans for securing the two parts of a traveling bag together, and at thesame time have successfully overcome the inherent tendency of one oftheparts to sag or pull away from the other when heavily loaded. It will beunderstood that the drawings are, in a sense, merely diagrammatic forthe purpose of illustrating one type of embodiment of my invention,which may be modified to suit the structure to which the same isapplied.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a traveling bag, a frame forming one of the edges of acompartment, a second frame hinged thereto and coactable therewith, abase mounted upon said first frame and having an opening upon one of itssides, an arm hinged at one end to said base, a latch bolt dependingfrom said arm and projected through said base by the movement of saidarm, and an apertured element carried by said second frame, said elementto be thereby inserted through the opening in said base above the firstframe and through which said bolt is projected by the movement of saidarm.

2. A traveling bag having a frame comprising two elements hingedtogether so as to lie one inside of the other in folded or closedposition, a casing secured to the outer of said elements provided withintersecting openings respectively on the side and top, a recessed armsecured to the inner of said frame elements and entering the lateralopening in said casing when said frame elements are in closed position,and an arm hinged at one end of the casing, a latch bolt depending fromsaidarm and entering the top opening in said casing and extendingthrough the recess in said arm when in closed position.

8. In a traveling bag, a frame forming one of the edges of acompartment, a second frame hinged thereto and coactable therewith, abase mounted on said first frame, a

recessed element carried by said second frame and extending intocoactive relation with said base, and a latching device brought intolatching position within said base by the movement of said element inwhich position said device engages said recessed element.

4. A traveling bag having a frame comprising two elements hingedtogether so as to lie one inside the other in folded position, a casingsecured to one of said frame elements, an arm secured to the other ofsaid frame elements and extending into coactive relation with saidcasing when said frame elements are in closed position, a member movablymounted on said casing, and a latch bolt movable longitudinally into andout of engagement with said arm by the movement of said member.

5. In a traveling bag, a frame forming one of the edges of acompartment, a second frame hinged thereto and coactable therewith, abase mounted on said first frame, a recessed element carried by saidsecond frame and extending beyond said first frame and into coactiverelation with said base, an element movably mounted upon said base, anda latching device brought into latching position and into engagementwith said. base by the movement of said element.

Signed at Chicago, countyof Cook and State of Illinois, this 9th day ofApril, 1921.

HERMAN COSKI.

